The NEXTY Awards are the premier recognition of excellence in the natural products industry, given by the New Hope Network—founders of the bi-coastal Natural Product Expos. The winning products represent what’s NEXT… in wellness trends, in solving today’s health and sustainability problems, in ingredient innovation, in packaging, in condition management, in supply chain growth and transparency, in health impact.

Only 29 NEXTY awards are given each expo. There are four ways to win a NEXTY award (category award, consumer choice, editors’ choice, and gold award), and 22 categories where a brand can stand out. Most of these awards require nomination ahead of the Expo and product samples to be tested and evaluated by the New Hope Networks editorial team. The Editor’s Choice Awards are decided differently: over the first two days of the event, judges visit booths and decide on which FOUR brands—out of all exhibiting brands—are deserving of these category-wide prizes. 

Jefferson Heatwole in the new Farmer Focus event booth at Expo East 2019 in the Baltimore Convention Center.

Out of over 1,500 exhibitors at Expo East 2019, only four were awarded the Editor’s Choice NEXTY Award—and Farmer Focus was one of them!

There are three pillars to the NEXTY award:

1. INNOVATION

The product or company shows truly creative thinking and execution (not a “me too” approach): uses a newly discovered or rediscovered ingredient, flavor profile, technique or process; fills a legitimate (though perhaps not recognized) natural products market need or niche; and/or is predicted to have longer-term impact in the industry.

2. INTEGRITY

The product or company adheres to an unusual or new mission targeting an issue or problem not yet widely addressed; its message/mission is clearly communicated, focused and effective, with real, wide-reaching potential or already proven positive social or environmental impact.

3. INSPIRATION

The product or company takes a creative, next-gen approach to clean ingredient(s), sustainability, transparency, traceability and safety/security.

Thank you to our farmers who traveled to Baltimore with us! Pictured left to right: Dawn Turner and Lora Turner of Turner Brothers Farm, baby Oliver, Abigail & Daryn Martin of Valley View Farm.
Winning one of four Editors’ Choice Next Awards is a huge step for Farmer Focus!

Our company’s mission is to build partnerships to promote and protect generational family farms. Being presented with this award is a great honor, and shows us that we’ve been recognized by industry authorities who have seen more than a few natural product brands grow from an idea to fruition. Winning a NEXTY award at Natural Products Expo East is an invitation to join a larger family of industry innovators—a shared support system for companies who dare to do things differently.

We are humbled by this great honor, and appreciative that we have such an awesome team that has made it possible!

OUR TEAMS’ SAFETY AND WELFARE IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

Thank you for your interest in Farmer Focus, our employees, and farmer partners. Our teams’ safety and welfare is our number one priority.  We are blessed to support over 500 families in the Shenandoah Valley working as production employees and farmers and are committed to keeping those families safe and providing stable employment in Harrisonburg.

In early February, Farmer Focus drafted a Covid-19 Response Plan and created a Task Force that has:

  • Proactively and continually purchased Personal Protective Equipment and other critical equipment to protect our employees (including face coverings, hand and surface sanitizers)
  • Increased food safety and sanitation measures as well as hygiene education in our offices and plant according to CDC guidance
  • Conducted weekly meetings to plan for potential impact on employees, farmers, partners and our business 
  • Educated employees on CDC guidance for virus symptoms, hygiene and social distancing 
  • Promoted social distancing by prohibiting all non-essential visitors to our facility, prohibiting business travel and enforcing a work from home policy for employees 
  • Limited interaction with our farmers to one farm per day and cancelled all non-essential visits

To keep our team safe every day, we are:

  • Conducting health screenings where temperatures of each of our employees and visitors are taken before entering the facility in a climate-controlled enclosure
  • Providing face coverings to lower the risk of transmitting the virus when employees talk, cough, or sneeze
  • Practicing social distancing in all production and break areas, changes have been made in every department with special focus on employees working across or next to one another 
  • Creating barriers to protect employees during production and break times

To support our essential workers and thank them for their commitment, we are:

  • Implementing financial and food bonuses to support and thank our team for their commitment throughout April & May
  • Proactively increasing hiring initiatives and referral / new hire bonuses as demand for our organic chicken increases
  • Collecting and Sharing “Thank yous” for our extended team at www.svorganic.com/grateful4groceries.

Farm Aid’s mission is to keep family farmers on the land.
Shenandoah Valley Organic’s mission is to build partnerships that support our vision: to promote and protect generational family farms.
We created the Farmer Focus brand to support the farmers who currently work with us, while building a support system for future farmers to enter the field (pun intended!). Our two organizations share a central mission, so it was a no-brainer to sponsor Farm Aid for the second year—and put our money where our mouth is.

You’ve heard of Farm Aid, right?

Farm Aid is a benefit concert founded by Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp in 1985 (with Dave Matthews joining in 2001), and has grown into a comprehensive organization that offers funding, informational resources, and support services to family farms in crisis. This nonprofit organization’s mission is to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep families on their land. To date, Farm Aid has raised more than $57 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.

Not only does Farm Aid put on an amazing annual concert (last year 23,000 attended in Hartford, Connecticut) These folks have consistently led conversations about the state of farming in America and continue to be a resource. Their website is comprehensive, hosting a blog with hard-hitting journalism, data spreadsheets, incredible educational and contact resources, and uplifting stories about the perseverance of the American Spirit.

 

Farm Aid: Three Decades of Action for Family Farmers 

The conversation about the American farming crisis is getting louder, but it’s still not loud enough. The average age of a farmer is about 58 years old—10 years older than it was just fifty years ago. Protecting and supporting generational family farming has never been as important as it is today. 

This was the spark that caught fire with our founder. With deep roots in the agricultural community, Corwin Heatwole was familiar with Farm Aid and their influential work long before Farmer Focus was even a seed of an idea. So once SVO was up and running, it seemed natural to partner with an organization that has proven to value the farmer and the food chain. 

Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young | photo: FarmAid.org
Founder & Chairman of Shenandoah Valley Organic, Corwin Heatwole (pictured right), on his family’s turkey farm at three years old, with his brother, Bradly Heatwole of Pine Ridge Poultry and Red Bud Acres. No one is more passionate about poultry than Corwin.

“Over the years, Farm Aid’s hotline has received calls from far too many poultry growers mired in debt, trapped in egregious contracts with chicken companies, growing chickens in ways they’d rather not. Farm Aid has worked with these farmers and advocated for policies to put fairness into their contracts.

When we began talking with SVO/Farmer Focus’s Corwin Heatwole and their farmers in 2016, we knew that we had found a poultry source for HOMEGROWN Concessions®, our trademarked foodservice for festival-goers. Our criteria is: food from family farms with an ecological standard and a fair price to the farmers. We are proud that SVO/Farmer Focus chicken will be on the menu again in HOMEGROWN Concessions® at Farm Aid 2019!”

  • Glenda Yoder, Associate Director of Farm Aid

Every dollar we spend is a vote for the practices that go into producing the product we are buying. If you stand for animal welfare, buy humanely raised meat products. If you want to protect the environment, buy products that use minimal, reusable or recyclable packaging. And if you believe that farmers should get paid fairly for the hard work they do to raise Organic and healthy food for your family, buy brands like Farmer Focus.

The Farmer Focus Business Model: How our business supports generational farming


What else can you do to help? If you’re interested in learning more about the current state of farming in America, interested in becoming a farmer, or simply donating to Farm Aid and lending a hand to those who help the families who grow our food, check out the link below for more info:

I want to learn more!!

CHECK OUT SOME PHOTOS FROM LAST YEAR!

SUPPORTING FAMILY FARMERS & THE FUTURE OF ORGANIC CHICKEN

Our founders, Corwin Heatwole (Chief Executive Officer), and Jefferson Heatwole (Executive Vice President), recently sat down for an exclusive interview on Worldwide Business with kathy ireland® to discuss the Farmer Focus Business Model and providing consumers with source traceability.

“The purpose of Farmer Focus is to make the farming lives better for the hardworking folks that are getting the product to market,” says Jefferson. “There are people behind the process that provides food for families

Corwin and Jefferson discussed their farming roots and the inspiration for starting their own poultry business. In 2012, Corwin started his first Organic poultry farm and found the demand for high-quality food choices was greater than he anticipated. “As the demand grew…I could no longer supply the need from my own farms. says Corwin. ”We needed to partner with other local farmers to produce larger volumes.”

The initial round-table discussions with neighboring farmers shed light on frustrations with the industry contract status quo. Corwin says, “…before those conversations were over, I had no doubt we would deliver a dream partnership.”

In addition to the fair treatment of farmers (offering non-tournament compensation and control over their own farms), Corwin and Jefferson believe that carrying consistent values throughout every step of production will naturally result in high-quality, healthy products.

All the farms producing Farmer Focus products are certified USDA Organic, non-GMO project verified, and audited by two third-party humane organizations; Certified Humane and Global Animal Partnership—“…to make sure we do it the right way.” says Jefferson. “Organic means there are no animal by-products, antibiotics and herbicides or pesticides in our products—EVER.”

“Healthy eating starts with being able to offer healthy products,” says J.L. Haber, Vice President of Programming for Worldwide Business with kathy ireland®. “SVO is working hard to maintain high standards and get it right.”

Each package of Farmer Focus Organic chicken comes with a four-letting Farm ID source code, inviting you to meet the farmer who raised your chicken.

With the innovative four-letter Farm ID source technology, SVO offers consumers full traceability while bringing much-needed attention to the hardworking folks who own the farms. “We’ve tied each of the packages under the Farmer Focus brand directly to the sourced farm,” Jefferson says, “so you can find out a little bit more about the exact farm that raised that chicken and learn more about that family.”

When Farmer Focus first started five years ago, our founder, Corwin Heatwole, set out to flip the business model that dominated the U.S. chicken industry by partnering with other farmers to create the ideal farmer contract model. With their input, Corwin started Shenandoah Valley Organic and created the Farmer Focus brand—building a progressive model for the chicken industry.

“We wanted our farmers to be partners, not contractors, as in the typical industry model. This means farmers own their chickens, have freedom to make decisions specific to their own farm, and earn a better living for their hard work,” Jefferson Heatwole, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, said. “This new business model not only benefits the farmer, but it also guarantees happier, higher quality chickens.”

Among our innovations, providing information on the source of our chicken has truly set us apart. Every package of Farmer Focus Organic chicken includes a four-letter “Meet Your Farmer” Farm ID that shoppers can enter into our website and discover the exact farmer who raised the chicken they are buying.

On 5 years to the day, Corwin met with the five employees who have been with SVO from day one—honored that they have been with SVO through the ups and downs of a startup.
From left to right: Abimael Valentin-Perez, Bradley Burkholder, Brian Parmalee, Corwin Heatwole, Gilberto Prieto Rodriguez, and Bertoldo Gaona.
Employees and farmers came together for a birthday celebration held at our headquarters in Harrisonburg, VA.

For example, a customer may buy a chicken that was raised by Jason Daugherty, a fourth-generation farmer who has been part of Farmer Focus for more than a year. “It’s nice to be part of a company that puts the emphasis on the animals’ health and their safety…and they actually care about the farmers raising them,”Daugherty said.

“We consistently examine our entire business operation and are constantly improving how things are done,” Heatwole said.

In five years, SVO Farmer Focus has grown from a single farm to a regional chicken producer, employing nearly 500 people and partnering with over 50 100% farm-owned and operated farms.

In 2019, SVO Farmer Focus will expand into cooked products that meet the demands for simple and fast meal solutions. Seasoned and ready-to-eat chicken strips, sausages, meatballs, and not-from-concentrate bone broth will be available to those seeking quality organic convenience foods.

With the momentum picked up in the first five years, it will be exciting to see what the next five years have in store.

It’s hard to believe this is the sixth edition of the Valley Dish. It seems like the first feast was only months ago! It says something about this friendly city—that local farmers, brewers, wine-makers, and restaurant owners who understand the importance of coming together to break bread are never in short supply.

This collaborative dinner took place on March 13th, 2019 at Rocktown Kitchen, inside their stunning dining room located in the renovated Ice House. Host Mira Papas and her husband, Chef Kristo, created a multi-course event—inviting their personal favorite local food and beverage producers to participate. The meal featured these farmers/businesses and their tasty products: butter and cream from Main Street Farmstead, crisp and tasty microgreens from Shenandoah Growers, Irish Red Ale from Pale Fire Brewing Co. and wine from CrossKeys Vineyard, alongside our Farmer Focus chicken.

Between courses, representatives and owners from each of the participating businesses had a chance to talk about the story of how their company came to be, their products and processes, and where to find them.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the evening, and left very full 🙂 If you didn’t make it to this edition of Valley Dish, keep your eyes open for the next event!

TAKE A PEEK AT THE NIGHT’S MENU! :

HORS D’OURVES
ARTISAN CHEESE & FRUIT PLATE
with assorted cheese from Main Street Farmstead
DEVILED EGGS
paired with Pale Fire Brewing Co.’s Red Molly Irish Red Ale

FIRST COURSE
MIRCO GREENS & POACHED PEAR SALAD
with microgreens from Shenandoah Growers
paired with CrossKeys Fiore Rosé

SECOND COURSE
GRILLED CHICKEN RISOTTO
with Sriracha crusted Farmer Focus Chicken

THIRD COURSE
STICKY TOFFEE CAKE
paired with CrossKeys Ali D’Oro

IDEAS FOR YOUR NEXT DINNER PARTY:

On a pleasant September evening in downtown Harrisonburg, Food Bar Food hosted Valley Dish IV. Food Bar Food is a farm-to-table restaurant specializing in global comfort foods and inspired cocktails. This collaborative dinner featured oxymels and shrubs from Red Root & Co. and produce from Ryan’s Fruit Market in addition to the creative menu, designed by Chef Jeff Minnich, incorporating our chicken products.  

TAKE A PEEK AT THE NIGHT’S MENU! :

AMUSE BOUCHE

Chicken liver mousse
Watermelon & rhubarb verbena chow-chow
Paired with Red Root & Co. bitters & sparkling cocktail

SMALL PLATE

Chicken apple sausage
Ginger apple shrub, sage bread pudding
Paired with Ginger Apple shrub and rum inspired cocktail

ENTREE

Grilled Chicken Paillard
Marigold orange gastrique, black rice blend, braised greens with garlic oxymel and pork belly lardons, roast beet concasse
Paired with fall oxymel & bourbon inspired cocktail

DESSERT

Peach ice cream
Blueberry vanilla syrup and almond tuile cookie
Paired with elderberry syrup & peach infused vodka inspired cocktail

Visit Red Root & Co for more information about this innovative young company who creates plant-based tonics, beverages, food preparations, vinegars, teas, and other herbal preparations made with high quality ingredients, primarily using local, organic and fair trade.

Each business owner was invited to tell guests about their company, each noting the importance of the lush surrounding farmland that blankets the Shenandoah Valley. The food and drinks were outstanding, and the event went so well that Food Bar Food owner, Amanda Cannon, invited us back for another in March! We are so appreciative to live in this beautiful region and among so many people and businesses whose values align with ours. Cheers! 🌱

There is nothing more important to our success than the safety of each and every employee at Farmer Focus. That is why we are so proud and appreciative of our achievement of 1 million man hours without a lost time accident.

The employees at Shenandoah Valley Organic take action each and every day to ensure we maintain a safe work environment. The supervisors and safety team leaders ensure our teams are properly trained and prepared, and our leadership team understands the importance of safety and supports efforts to ensure continuous improvement in our safety culture. Mike Breeden, Teresa Eaton, and Roy Norville were instrumental in achieving this milestone.

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The Culture Committee at Shenandoah Valley Organic did a remarkable job transforming our newly renovated cafeteria into a Luau fit for a summer celebration. Richard McGlothlin from Accident Fund, our Workers Comp Insurance provider, paid a visit to recognize the achievement and provide SVO with a plaque. The relationships we have with Accident Fund, Valley Urgent Care, and other key health and safety partners are an important part of our success.

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The event featured our delicious Farmer Focus brand Organic chicken grilled to perfection by a team led by Scott Stapelkamp, one of our many outstanding supervisors.

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As we celebrate the milestone of 1 million man hours without a lost time accident, Shenandoah Valley Organic continues to look ahead. As Mia Hamm said, “Celebrate what you have accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.” With a drive to achieve, the leadership, supervisors, safety teams, and employees at Shenandoah Valley Organic have their sights set on 2 million man hours.

Erik Vaughan,
SVO President and Chief Operations Officer

At Farmer Focus, we are big fans of chefs and food bloggers.

We are SUCH big fans, so we started partnering with some of our very favorites to create recipes for our customers that are delicious, healthy, and easy for your family.

Here’s a quick introduction to the bloggers we’re collaborating with: 

Michael Symon

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Chef Michael Symon cooks with soul. Growing up in a Greek and Sicilian family, the Cleveland native creates boldly flavored, deeply satisfying dishes at his restaurants in America’s heartland: Lola, Mabel’s BBQ, Roast, Bar Symon, and B Spot Burgers. He also shares his exuberant, approachable cooking style and infectious laugh with viewers as an Iron Chef on the Food Network, host of Burgers, Brew & ‘Que on Cooking Channel, and formerly a co-host on ABC’s The Chew. Michael has appeared on several Food Network shows and is the author of four best-selling cookbooks.